Big day today. After breakfast we made our way down to the Royal Theatre, were given our bus ticket number and then waited for our tour number to be called. Down a couple of flights of stairs, through the check-out and on to the tender. Amazingly enough we were the first off the tender and the first on the bus. Our tour was diverted from its usual roads because the centre of Auckland had been closed off for the Santa Parade. Lots of NZ Christmas trees just starting to bloom, and lots of them were really big, lichen covered trees. Our first stop was a huge rose garden, lovely odour wafting around and a wide range of colour. Then onto the Winter Garden, not only ponds, fountains and gardens but a hissing gander protecting his goslings! Some rosellas eating grass seeds, lots of sparrows and a pair of blackbirds foraging beneath the palms. Mum pokemoned her way away the walk back to the bus, lol. From there we had a drive over the big Auckland Bridge, back again and then under it. Had a look at the area that’s being redeveloped for the America’s Cup in 2021, and then back to the ship.

After a spot of lunch and settling Mum back in our room, I caught a tender again over to the port and met up with a local Munzee hunter, and then back to Mum and a bit of relaxing & writing before dinner.

Well the decision to take the tender or not was decided by the ocean and the Captain. There was too big a swell, which made the tendering process unsafe, so the ship left the Bay and headed out into the Southern Pacific Ocean for the day. BTW, The Bay of Islands is actually a submerged valley and the islands (around 144 of them) are all that remain of the mountain tops.

So once again another lazy day, doing nothing much.

Just as well we did pop up to dinner last night, they had roast duck, which Mum thoroughly enjoyed. We had a game of Tantrix when back on our balcony which was fun, Mum won it.

We have a coach trip tomorrow in Auckland, so hoping the weather improves enough so we can see something, so far all we’ve seen of NZ was hidden under low cloud or fog. Lol.

We did manage to find the back of the ship after dinner, just kept walking to the back of the Windjammer.

And if it’s possible to do even less than the day before, this was it, lol. Apparently, we had a rough night, I did notice it once in the middle of the night, but Mum didn’t feel it and was fine this morning, so maybe she has her sea legs now! Another hour added to the clocks, so 5 hours ahead.

A very grey, blustery day. Not sure if it’s low cloud, fog, rain or sea mist out there lol. Sometimes even the horizon was blotted out and just a mass of grey! Lots of white caps on the waves and spray off them with the wind, but it has calmed down a lot now, not much white at all.

We have delayed going to dinner as neither of us is really hungry, but we will pop up there shortly to have a look at the spread.

First stop tomorrow, Bay of Islands, but as it’s a 20 minute tender, Mum would rather not do it, I’m still thinking about it.

A day of cruising so a day of doing nothing much, we put our clocks forward an hour so now 4 hours ahead of home time. Mum didn’t feel too good this morning, so after a quick visit to the Windjammer for breakfast (dry toast for Mum) we came back to our room where Mum had a good sleep and awoke feeling much better.

The clouds have become more white and largish blue patches are making the water blue as well, it’s all been rather grey until now. Sat around for a while amusing ourselves then time for a much more substantial lunch for Mum. Before dinner we had a wander around the 2 shopping decks and visited the Solarium at the front of the ship, way too hot and chlorine smelling for both of us. The ship is still rocking a little and it was quite noticeable up the front!! We have a meal time system now, I walk around the food stations with Mum and compile a plate of her choices, set her up at a table and then go and get mine. Mum however finds the dessert station herself, lol.

A few pictures, see if you can spot Mum with the cookie she collected on the way out! We had our first towel critter tonight!

Woke up early, still dark outside except for the flashes of lightning. As I couldn’t hear any thunder thought the room nicely sound proofed. Well as time went on the thunder got close enough to hear lol. Once the day greyed up to visibility we could see the low clouds obscuring the tops of the buildings across the way and the rain was just coming down!

We stayed in our room killing time until about 10.45 when we grabbed a taxi and headed for Circular Quay and the big ship awaiting us. Took around 15 minutes and rained all the way. Left our suitcases at the baggage drop all nicely labelled and even though our official check-in time was 13.00 we went though without a hitch. Short wait for the security scanning as usual, but shortly we found ourselves in Two70⁰ having lunch. The rain had stopped by the time we finished so we went up to the 15^th deck and had a walk around the running track and enjoyed the views of Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the old buildings in The Rocks precinct.

Our room was available at 13.00 so we found it and sat on the balcony looking at the old buildings again with some internet surfing to discover their history.

Mandatory safety drill was at 17.00 so we wandered down to our muster point at 16.50 so we would be ready and also get a seat. That done and quick visit back to our room to see if our luggage had appeared yet (no it hadn’t), we ascended from deck 13 to 14 and dinner in the Windjammer. Back to our room and no luggage, so down to security (deck 2) but they didn’t have it, so being delivered they said. We then watched the ship move away from the wharf and then turn, so discovered we are near the end of the ship, not the front as we had thought, LOL.

Down to Two70⁰ again, but this time it had been transformed into a theatre complete with moving floors, holes in ceiling for trapezes and vanishing holes for performers. It started as an image show on 7 big screens manipulated by robotic arms, and were alight for lots of the singing/dancing that ensued. They must have changed costumes about 10 times!!! We also began to notice that the ship had left the harbour as a slight rocking had started.

Back at the stateroom, still no luggage, so went down to Guest Services where there were lots of bags, including ours that had lost our labels with the room numbers on them.

Mum’s asleep and I’m not going to be far behind her, might have to hang something on the hangers in the wardrobe though, they are banging together, LOL.

Helen picked me up just after 9 and then on to Mum’s. Arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare which was just as well as the baggage drop conveyor wasn’t working so we had to wait for a long time to get our luggage off our hands. Boarded the flight on time and obviously had a tail wind as it only took 3.45 hours to get to Sydney.

I gave the greeter at the plane door my BOAC Junior Jetclub logbook for filling in during the flight. He found us half way through the flight to say the Captain would like to say hello at the end of the flight, so could we get off at the end. No probs as we were near the rear of the plane anyway, lol. Popped into the cockpit for a quick chat with the 2 pilots and Mum had a quick seat in the Captain’s chair, she was really happy with that experience!

Then we retrieved our cases and waited ages for a taxi, the system was quite bizarre, but finally we got a ride to our hotel in Darling Harbour. The lass upgraded us so we have a view overlooking the Harbour and all it’s lights. I tried taking a photo but it didn’t work well. (Remember it’s 3 hours later here than at home and it was getting dark especially as storms are expected.

We had a stroll through the Harbourside Mall, and then out onto the walk way around the harbour. Back inside for a bit of dinner. The gulls aren’t perturbed about it being an enclosed building, they have worked out the automatic doors and come and go as they like, lol.

Hoping it’s not too wet etc tomorrow, no fun getting ones self and luggage wet!

Mum and I are off on a 14 day cruise around New Zealand starting tomorrow with a flight to Sydney. We have a hotel room in Darling Harbour for the night and then onto the ship on Wednesday. Two days at sea sees us arriving in the Bay of Islands on the 1st December.

I haven’t started packing yet, but the babies went to the sitter yesterday and the house is just so quiet lol. Lucy will hopefully go clucky soon as it will make it easier for Phyl to feed her (she doesn’t eat much but sweetcorn dropped into her nest site.)

The photos will hopefully start tomorrow after our arrival in Sydney.
L 🙂 xo

Last day and an early start. Breakfast at 5.30, finished packing and then had to meet at 7 for the shore excursions. Left the ship at 7.30 and on to a bus headed for the Saw Grass Recreation Park. They have a lot of rescued animals like Burmese pythons (enormous), and alligators, including one that’s 57 years old and expected to live until he’s about 90. Panthers, a bobcat, a fennec fox and even a kookaburra. After that we all got into an everglades air boat and had a trip into the edge of the Everglades. Normally the water level it 18-24 inches, currently it’s 4-5 ft because of the hurricane and most of the birds and dragonflies, who left before the storm hit have not yet returned. Saw alligators and soft-shelled turtles.

The bus then dropped us off at either of the 2 airports in this area. I’m currently sitting at Miami International, and have another 4 hours here. Hence finishing off the blog.

 AirboatsFennec fox Into the Everglades Young alligator

Blue Planet was a music/dance/acrobatic presentations with songs about the world, water, sun, trees, etc. At one point there was a huge gnarled old tree with lots of branches centre stage, when the branches came alive, they actually had the dancers wrapped in and around them, the effect was wonderful. Then they had a large veil over the entire front of the stage and the acrobats and dancers behind it looked like they were swimming in the ocean, with images of seaweed, fish and jellyfish projected on the veil as well, very awesome!

Had another at sea quiet day, reckon it’ll be the last quiet day until Christmas arrives, lol. Home for a few days, 2 weeks at work and then my annual 3 weeks off for the Osborne Park Show.

Now to start on the packing. I have an Everglades tour in the morning which ends at Miami airport, then the long trip home. I will add tomorrow’s photos to the blog as soon as I get home if I can’t do it while waiting at one of the airports, so check back occasionally. Catch you all on the other side of the Pacific, xoxo.

Finally, a sunset, lolPredawn, a crescent moon & Venus Sunrise Location

Back at Cozumel, Mexico again this morning. This was the stop on the original itinerary, lol. Was a little bit late getting to the early breakfast, and was told so by the top chef on the ship. He usually says good morning to the first comers and we’ve had a chat or two.

As this was another tour on the mainland, once again had to catch the ferry across, about 45 minutes from cast off to hop off! Met our tour guides and had a walk through Playa del Carmen to the bus. We then had a 2 hour bus ride to Chichen Itza. I’m pleased I had seen the Tulum ruins first as these really are so much better. An amazing place that’s touted as one of the seven wonders of the New World, and it really is a wonder. Built and carved out of limestone, the original in all it’s colour would have been brilliant to see, as long as you weren’t the sacrifice.

We had a 35 minute guided tour and then some free time. The site is full of vendors selling a huge range of wares, most of then saying, “It’s nearly free, only $1” I had a wander around, grabbed the few virtual munzees around the site, had a wander through the small wooded area near the pyramid and then back to the bus for our 2 hour trip back to the ferry. Once back on board the ship, a shower was wonderful, as it was quite warm and very humid, on the way back we drove through a very heavy rain shower, so very sticky!

Dinner and blog and now I’m going off to see a Show entitled “Blue Planet”, no idea what it is or how it’s presented!

 Chichen Itza city wallsTemple of Kukulcan Wall of skulls Carving of jaguar  Huge bromeliadsIguana